Archive for February 2019
Purim on the Streets of Israel
Produced by i24News, this short news clip (04:38) shares the spirit of Purim in Israel, where people of all ages throughout the country dress up and enjoy public parades and street parties. Filmed mostly
Printable Hebrew & English Megillat Esther
From Chabad.org, this 13-page long PDF document contains the side-by-side Hebrew and English text of Megillat Esther, the biblical scroll which tells the story of Purim, as well as a brief summary of the
Printable English Megillat Esther With Commentary
Published by the Kehot Publication society of the Chabad Lubavitch movement, this 14-page long PDF document is an English translation of Megillat Esther, the biblical scroll which tells the story of Purim, including a
Matanot L’Evyonim: Gifts to the Poor
From the Zdaka Center in Israel, this thorough article introduces the commandment to give gifts to the poor on Purim, including the roots and significance of the mitzvah, and when, how, to whom
How To Fulfill the Four Mitzvot of Purim
This detailed succinct article by Chaviva Gordon-Bennett provides a thorough introduction to the basic requirements of each of the four commandments that need to be fulfilled on Purim: Megillat Esther, Mishloah Manot, Seudat Purim and Matanot L’Evyonim. Published on ThoughtCo,
‘What makes one an Israeli?’ Negotiating identities in everyday representations of ‘Israeliness’
Written by Rakefet Sela Sheffy from Tel Aviv University’s Unit of Culture Research, this 19-page long article explores the construction of an Israeli identity not found in public political discourse, based on open responses to
State and Religion in Israel: Possible Scenarios
Written by Shlomo Hasson, this 104 page booklet examines the role of religion in Israeli society. The author explores four fundamental struggles of this subject – the place of religion in public life,
Israel’s Religiously Divided Society (Pew Research Center, 2016
Produced by Pew Research Center, a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about global trends, this 237-page long report provides the full findings of the 2014-2015 study, which provides insight into Israel’s polarized society,
After the Zionist Revolution: Patterns of Jewish Collective Identity among Israeli Jews
This thorough article compares the findings of the The Jewish People Policy Institute’s Israeli Pluralism Survey (2016) and the Pew Research Center’s survey (2014-2015), the results of which were published as “Israel’s Religiously Divided
Drop Your Mask: Why We Dress Up on Purim
Produced by Aish.com, this insightful video (02:29) features Rabbi Yaakov Cohen reveals the deep psychological and spiritual wisdom behind the custom of wearing costumes on Purim. He explains how wearing costumes on Purim